Uncharted 3 gets final patch as all multiplayer maps made free

PlayStation 3 exclusive Uncharted 3 is two years old, and to celebrate Naughty Dog has released the game's final major patch and made all multiplayer maps free to download.

The Sony-owned studio will continue to support the game via Lab updates and community events, and it will look into patching the game if there's a "dire need" for a future one, community manager Eric Monacelli wrote on the EU PlayStation Blog.

Naughty Dog has made sweeping changes to Uncharted 3's multiplayer with the release of patch 1.18. "We combed over a multitude of comments and forum posts to see what you wanted changed in the multiplayer game," Monacelli said. "We took the most highly sought changes mentioned and made them happen." The update 1.18 patch notes are over at the PlayStation Blog.

To coincide with the release of the patch and Uncharted 3's second birthday, all multiplayer maps are now free, including new map Dry Docks.

Lead game designer Robert Cogburn said Dry Docks was originally pitched as a single-player level for Uncharted 3, but was tweaked to be used for multiplayer only, before being cut from the game entirely.

"Making games is very time consuming so you cut things that make sense," Cogburn explained. "It made sense to not have our art team invest time in taking the multiplayer version of Dry Docks to the level of quality we adhere to at Naughty Dog - therefore the Dry Docks map was cut."

Now Naughty Dog has resurrected the Dry Docks map for release. "It's quite different from the original version but the changes we've made has made Dry Docks all the better," Cogburn said. "We hope you enjoy it."

To get Uncharted 3's maps for free, go to the in-game store and download the Flashback Map Pack 1, 2 and Drake's Deception Map Pack.